US 2022/0307739 A1Published application

Lubrication system for a compressor

AssigneesJohnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP, Johnson Controls Industries SAS

InventorsDamien Jean Daniel Arnou, Francois Charles Andre Clunet, Paul Eric Le Sausse, Laurent Claude Eric Thibaud, Nicolas Jean Alain Brinon

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system includes a refrigerant circuit configured to flow a refrigerant therethrough, a sump configured to direct a lubricant to a compressor, an ejector configured to direct the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump, and an expansion device configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant directed through the refrigerant circuit. The HVAC&R system further includes a controller configured to instruct the expansion device to adjust to a first position to enable the ejector to direct lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump at a first target flow rate in a first mode, and the controller is configured to instruct the expansion device to adjust to a second position to enable the ejector to direct lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump at a second target flow rate in a second mode.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

a refrigerant circuit configured to flow a refrigerant therethrough;
a sump configured to direct a lubricant to a compressor positioned along the refrigerant circuit;
an ejector configured to direct the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump;
an expansion device positioned along the refrigerant circuit and configured to reduce a pressure of the refrigerant directed through at least a portion of the refrigerant circuit;
and
a controller configured to adjust operation of the HVAC&R system between a first mode and a second mode, wherein the controller is configured to instruct the expansion device to adjust to a first position to enable the ejector to direct the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump at a first target flow rate in the first mode, and wherein the controller is configured to instruct the expansion device to adjust to a second position to enable the ejector to direct the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump at a second target flow rate in the second mode.

3 more elements

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

a refrigerant circuit;
a lubricant circuit;
a sump positioned along the lubricant circuit, wherein the sump is configured to direct lubricant to the refrigerant circuit;
and
an ejector positioned along the lubricant circuit, wherein the ejector is configured to direct the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit to the sump, wherein the ejector is configured to receive a first fluid flow from a condenser positioned along the refrigerant circuit via an inlet of the ejector in a first mode of operation of the HVAC&R system, and wherein the ejector is configured to receive a second fluid flow from a compressor positioned along the refrigerant circuit via the inlet of the ejector in a second mode of operation of the HVAC&R system.

2 more elements

A heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and/or refrigeration (HVAC&R) system, comprising:

a refrigerant circuit;
an expansion device positioned along the refrigerant circuit, wherein the expansion device is configured to reduce a pressure of refrigerant directed through at least a portion of the refrigerant circuit;
a sump configured to direct lubricant to the refrigerant circuit;
an ejector configured to draw the lubricant from the refrigerant circuit, wherein the ejector is configured to receive a first fluid flow from a condenser positioned along the refrigerant circuit in a first mode of operation of the HVAC&R system and to receive a second fluid flow from a compressor positioned along the refrigerant circuit in a second mode of operation of the HVAC&R system;
and
a controller configured to transition the HVAC&R system between the first mode of operation and the second mode of operation, wherein the controller is configured to adjust a position of the expansion device to adjust the pressure of the refrigerant to a first pressure level in the first mode of operation, and to adjust the pressure of the refrigerant to a second pressure level in the second mode of operation, wherein the second pressure level is less than the first pressure level.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.